I’ve come across quite a few articles now discussing a Performics and ROI Research survey and I’m  realizing the true value of this information so I’d like to share it with you. The point of the Performics and ROI Research survey was to figure out if people are actually responding to or even paying attention to social media marketing efforts. 3,000 social media users were asked over 100 questions to find out how they use social media in their daily lives and how social media fits in to their decision making process when it comes to buying consumer products.

The overall conclusion is that the future is looking bright for social media marketers. The number of people who are not using social media or are not interested in engaging with companies through social media is shrinking. “The study found that marketers who embrace the medium and communicate relevant messages in consumers’ language and on their terms could gain customers and grow sales,” says one article from Chief Marketer. Some findings from the study are as follows:

• 34% percent of respondents have used a search engine to find information on a product, service or brand after seeing an advertisement on a social networking site
• 30% of respondents have learned about a new product, service or brand from a social networking site
• 32% of respondents said messages about printable coupons on social sites resonate with them
• 28% percent of respondents said messages about sales or special deal notifications resonate with them

There were also findings relating to specific social network sites. “We knew that these sites are extremely popular for socializing, but the level of interest for branding and promotional marketing content is surprisingly large,” says Scott Haiges, President of ROI Research. Some of the findings related to specific sites are as follows:

• Forty-six percent of respondents say they would talk about or recommend a product on Facebook
• Forty-four percent of Twitter users have recommended a product
• Thirty-six percent of YouTube users say that they have gone to an online retailer or ecommerce site after learning about a brand on a social network site

This study provides significant insight to the potential success of social media marketing in increasing brand awareness and sales. We’ve been hearing about the possible impact of social media marketing long enough but now we have solid evidence indicating how powerful of a marketing tool it can really be.  After all, everyone who is one these social networking sites is a consumer as well.